The USS Dauntless Project
by alprunty
Summary: A trek Story Set 25 years in the future from the return of Voyager deep space exploration has been stifled due to the vast known distances. Janeway has revived the Quantum Slipstream project, but there are those who want to see it mothballed as there are things out there yet to be discovered. This is set in the Paramount Universe not the Abrams Universe.
1. ICARUS Project

**This is a story I am reviving from my old 2003 account. I will be continuing it as I have the framework written out in a long outline. I dedicate this to a dear friend Martin St. Onge who passed away and I lost heart in writing this story. He was an inspiration, a mentor, and one of the best e-mail friends I ever had.**

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In a shimmer the cat like form of Lt. Commander Fariuza Harth materialized on the main transporter room at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco. Harth exited the room into a grand foyer. Harth sighed, "Computer, where is Research and Development lab L-231." A panel on the wall lit up to show the exact location of the lab. Wasting no time, Harth found the lab she pressed the door chime and waited.

After a few minutes the door opened and a young man in a white lab coat stuck his head out. "Lt. Cmdr. Harth, weapons specialist from the Dauntless I presume?"

Harth smiled, "I'm Lt. Commander Harth, Captain Alexander said you've got a special delivery for me."

The tech smiled, "Indeed I do, it is exactly as you designed it." The tech walked to a bench near the back of the lab, on which sat a simple silver case, no bigger than a shoebox. He opened the case in an almost reverent manner and removed an object from the molded foam packing inside. "Say hello to Project I.C.A.R.U.S." In the tech's hands sat what appeared to be a simple, black, fingerless glove. There were silver shapes on the palm, back and wrist of the glove, but other than that it seemed rather unremarkable. The tech offered it to Harth, "Would you like to try it out now in a controlled laboratory environment?"

Harth took the glove from the tech and admired the final product. The material the glove was constructed of was very thin, but the glove itself was much heavier than she had expected. I see the improvement over the prototype, what material did they finally settle on?"

The tech responded, "It's an alloy we call Trialuminite, it is incredibly strong, but also very lightweight and flexible. It is as flexible as old fashioned rubber-latex."

Harth turned it over in her hands. On the back of the hand of the glove was a slightly raised, rounded, triangular, silver shape. On the back of the wrist was a series of silver dots...similar in configuration to the controls on a Phaser. On the palm of the glove was another, smaller, silver triangle and more silver dots.

The tech continued, "Trialuminite also has a molecular memory, no matter what shape it gets bent or squished into, it will always return to it's original shape. Watch!" The tech took one of the gloves and viciously crushed it into a tiny ball in the palm of his hand. Harth watched as the ball unfolded itself and smoothed out into a glove again. The tech then asked, "What exactly does I.C.A.R.U.S. mean?"

Harth stood up with regal gracefulness of a Catain and smiled, "its official acronym is the "Individually Calibrated Assault Response Utility System", but we call it "I.C.A.R.U.S" for short. I have been developing it for six years now, however Starfleet Weapons Research has made it even lighter and more resilient than expected. It will be field tested on the Dauntless." Harth sighed, "The whole ship is a working field test of new technology."

The tech smiled, "it sounds like a tech's paradise."

Harth put on the I.C.A.R.U.S. the glove immediately shrank to her hand. She smiled as it seemed to draw tight and make a second skin against her fur. "I guess it would look less conspicuous on human skin. Unfortunately I won't be able to activate it until I get back to the Dauntless, the computer must activate it with my DNA."

The tech handed Harth a shiny metallic box, "There are enough I.C.A.R.U.S. units in here to issue to every crew member of the Dauntless."

Harth took the box, "Thank you. um. and your name is?"

The tech smiled, "Jason Waters, Level 2 technician."

Harth smiled once again, "Mr. Waters have a wonderful day. expect me to send you a field report soon. That is unless you want to come aboard"

Waters beamed a bright smile, "really?"

The catian purred, "I only want the best for my weapon's project and it would be nice to have a tech that is familiar with the activation process to get everyone on board calibrated to their I.C.A.R.U.S. who knows this may lead to a nice field promotion... pack your stuff and I'll have the orders drawn up."

The young man looked at her in disbelief, "You can really do that?" He asked.

"How do you think you were picked for the project already, I have vetted your credentials long ago." She smiled as her cat eyes twinkled, "I would suggest you pack and be ready for when your orders arrive." With that she departed and Lt. Cmdr. Harth walked to the nearest transporter room and tapped her communications badge, "Dauntless one to beam up." In a shimmer she dematerialized from the transporter pad.

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_****__**Please let me know if we should continue with this let me know if you Love it? Hate it? Either way, please post a review. It is most appreciated!**_


	2. Promoted to Command

_**Starfleet Headquarters in San Fransisco  
Three Months Earlier  
**_

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Captain Jonas Alexander looked out the window of his temporary quarters in the Starfleet HQ Complex. A beautiful sunrise painted San Fransisco Bay with an amazing display of color... he marveled at the old bridge across the water which still was used by some land vehicles. He donned his best uniform and double checked everything to ensure that it was meticulously squared away.

Nervously the newly promoted Captain paced the floor, and with very good reason. Admiral Janeway personally sent notice that he was hand picked by her for his first command. Jonas was puzzled why a person who was trained to captain a science vessel would be assigned to a starship. Jonas took one final look into his mirror and was satisfied with his grooming. He dimmed the lights and left his quarters to see what his fate would hand him.

The young Captain walked the corridors of Starfleet HA and stopped for a moment to admire the sky atrium which had the most magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge, restored to it's full 20th Century period beauty. He sighed as he realized he never really took the time to appreciate all the wonders that earth had to offer and would soon return to deep space where he was born. He resumed his path to the Deep Space Exploration Department and took a deep breath as he approached the counter where Admiral Janeway's personal assistant was sitting.

A young Vulcan Ensign looked up and smiled only as warmly as a Vulcan could, "You must be Captain Alexander, you are quite early... please have a seat and make yourself comfortable as I notify the Admiral you are here." The slender Vulcan female stood up and walked to another room only to promptly appear with the Admiral, a woman who aged quite gracefully.

Janeway smiled, "I like punctuality... but you are one hour and fifteen minutes early."

Captain Alexander sighed and simply offered, "Ma'am... the opportunity just to meet you... I did not want to be late."

She smiled back as she poured herself a cup of coffee, "I guess not," she warmly responded. "I once knew a young Captain who was very nervous about receiving her first command. This Captain had to take a newly commissioned ship into a hostile zone... she was quite early to report to her admiral as well... and later wished she packed away some extra coffee." Janeway waived her hand at the open door, "by all means pour yourself a cup and step into my office where I can brief you on your new command."

Captain Alexander passed on the coffee and followed the aged Admiral to her office and took his seat only after she took hers. "Ma'am, if I may ask one question..."

Janeway interrupted, "It's Catherine in here... you want to know why I chose you to command a starship?"

The young captain looked at her sheepishly, "exactly my question."

Janeway continued, "...I'm going to be straight to the point, because I don't know any other way to be... your scientific background is impressive, I would even go so far to say it's unmatched when compared to our most seasoned captains. But I don't need a seasoned Captain to take command of the Dauntless... I want someone who is willing to take new approaches to using new technologies. I believe you will be right at home with her as she is nothing like you have ever seen before. The design is a radical departure from our standard build of starships. You might say I am giving you the opportunity of a lifetime on a silver platter. I want you to depart immediately to familiarize yourself with the ship and to shake out any bugs."

Alexander stood up, "I definitely do not want to let Admiral Catherine Janeway down, seems like I have my work cut out for me."

Catherine stood up and approached the young Captain brushing off shoulders and looking him in the eye much like a grandmother would instead of a fleet admiral. "Jonas, frankly I've watched your career for a long time, I know you are the one." She smiled with a sly twinkle in her eye and mused about how much he reminded her of the young Captain she once was.

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_****__**Please let me know if we should continue with this let me know if you Love it? Hate it? Either way, please post a review. It is most appreciated!**_


	3. Through the Looking Glass

**_Two Days later Nellis Starship Research Facility... On through the looking glass._**

Deep in the underground facility where many of Earth's alien myths and legends were born, Bellanna Paris was admiring the sleek hull of the dauntless. it was graceful, and defied traditional starship construction. Bellanna thought that Tom's old Area 51 stories were humorous attempts at fiction... until she talked to the many scientists that were assigned to the project and it became apparent that there was some truth to the stories.

The Ship was very bird like in its appearance; the saucer section was very triangular to facilitate better slipstream travel. The nacelles arched very graceful from the main star drive section giving it a very sleek and dramatic form. There was no other ship in the fleet that even approached the design of the Dauntless. Bellanna Paris was expecting the Captain to arrive and was pacing the concrete hangar floor just underneath the ship when Tom walked up.

"I would say she is very art deco wouldn't you?" Tom asked as he handed Bellanna a beverage.

Bellanna took a sip out of the cup and smiled, "still infatuated with the 20th century I see."

Tom stepped behind Bellanna and placed his hands on her shoulders, "you have planned this ship even before we arrived back at earth. It has been your sole aspiration and it should soon be ready for for it's first time in space. I think you have done well."

Bellanna smiled, "Yes, but the only thing I regret is I am too old and too valuable to Starfleet right now to be a crew member on the ship. At least Janeway has promised you the chance to be the first at her helm on the shakedown cruise."

Tom leaned over and kissed Bellanna, "Darling, this way you can be at my side the entire time and I would not trade that for anything in the world." Tenderly he stroked the white shock of hair that striped behind her forehead ridge. "You are as beautiful to me as the day I first laid eyes on you when you transported from the Marquis ship. I would not want it any other way you deserve to be on the bridge on the shakedown cruise."

Bellanna smiled, "And when you get the keys you better not wreck mamma's car." She turned to face him, "and you don't want to know what I thought of you the first time I seen you." The term arrogant asshole popped into her mind, but he soon grew on her.

A voice behind startled them, "So this is the Dauntless. this is the most beautiful ship I have ever seen." The two of them turned to see Captain Jonas Alexander facing them. His bags were lying on the ground beside him along with a cat carrier and his prized dulcimer. "I never expected it to look like a traditional starship, but this is the most beautiful ship that I have ever seen."

Bellanna walked over and nudged Tom to follow each of them took a bag from beside him. Two crewmen came and picked up the rest of the bags. Bellanna tapped her communicator, "Iris, five to beam aboard."

The five beamed aboard where a beautiful woman in an unusual StarFleet uniform that was more of an all black uniform with the color silver where the traditional red, blue or gold would be. Captain Alexander immediately noticed the lack of a transporter control panel. The young woman spoke in a very proper British accent, "I am Iris, and it's a pleasure to meet you Captain Alexander, I have downloaded all of your medical records, service records, personal log entries, and took the liberty to connect into the housing computer at Starfleet Headquarters and I have made sure to download all of the music that was in your database for your enjoyment as well as any other media you may enjoy. I hope you will like your quarters, I have personally took the time to research your background and prepare a space with furnishings in Captain's Quarters to make you better comfortable." She turned and looked at the bags, "Please let me handle those." The bags vanished as a precision transporter had moved them to the Captain's quarters.

Jonas was startled, "Is it common for someone to pry into the personal matters of a Captain before they settle in?"

Iris responded, "Oh. I'm sorry how rude of me, it's a pretty common function for the ships computer to automatically transfer the personal files of crew members before they board, however I am programmed to be a more intuitive computer."

Jonas interrupted, "Programmed?"

Iris sighed, "I actually like to think evolved would be a better term since I am based on the Doctor's holoprograms, the positronic matrix of Mr. Data and further advances in artificial intelligence that have been recently developed. I am the ship's computer's sentient mark 10 holographic interface specifically designed to interact with the crew and improve efficiency."

Bellanna whispered into Captain Alexander's ear, "Whatever you do, never refer to her as it. She does have emotions."

Jonas asked, "Does she have full control of the ship?"

Bellanna shook her head no, "Iris is only a computer interface to make interacting with the computer more efficient and intuitive. She can operate the transporters and other minor functions of the ship, however she functions more like the traditional voice of the computer. Seven describes her as the next evoltion of operating system interface anything you would normally ask the computer to do, you simply ask Iris."

Jonas smiled, "I see. instead of the cold dry voice we have became accustomed to we have a bubbly little.."

Iris turned and faced the Captain and firmly responded, "Excuse me?"

Jonas glanced at Bellanna and sighed, "I'm sorry. but you are going to take some getting used to you Iris. Please show me to my quarters I need to settle in. I will report to the bridge in 8 hours please assemble the senior staff in the conference room and have them ready to brief me on the status of the ship."

Iris gestured and pointed to the lights moving along the corridors, "Simply follow as normal and it will lead you to your quarters."

Jonas smiled, "Thank you. and I'll see you guys on the bridge soon." As Jonas walked down the corridors he noticed instead of the normal cold metallic corridors, the Dauntless had what appeared to be finely crafted pine wood panels. It gave the ship a warm feeling and had a fresh fragrance. He looked down as a couple of small robots were vacuuming the carpet in the corridor. He arrived at a door that was neatly labeled Captain Jonas Alexander, Quarters. The doors slid open and Iris was sitting in a chair petting the Captain's pet cat, Tikka. Jonas was startled, "what are you doing here?"

Iris smiled, "I'm sorry for the intrusion, but I am programmed to care for the crew's pets whenever they are unable to. This little darling was thirsty and had no water. She was terribly unhappy in the carrier."

Jonas was un-nerved. "So you are monitoring everyone all the time?"

Iris stood up, "Oh, I've made you uncomfortable again. Yes, I monitor all crew members as any ship's computer does. However, I am able to take action in a life-threatening emergency unlike other ship's computers. I am projecting a 90% faster emergency medical response when needed... I am also a fully qualified medical interface," She said proudly.

Jonas calmed a bit, "Just promise me that you will give me some privacy, your hologram can be a bit disturbing."

Iris's hologram disappeared and her face appeared on a small panel on the wall, "Does this make you more comfortable?"

Jonas paused for a moment, "not much more, but it's a start." Jonas walked around his quarters. the glasses he chose for his previous apartment were replicated neatly in the cabinets of his galley area. The décor was familiar to him. he sat on his bed and to his delight it was a natural feather mattress. Jonas smiled, "and another thing Iris." He paused for a second to see how she would respond.

Iris appeared once again on the wall panel, "Yes sir?"

Jonas smiled, "I like what you done with the quarters, I must admit you have really soothed a lot of stress with my new command by creating familiar surroundings."

Iris responded, "Then I have accomplished what I am programmed to do."

Jonas reclined on his bed noticing the soft smell of the Carolina pine forest. he closed his eyes and took a well deserved nap.

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_****__**Please let me know if we should continue with this let me know if you Love it? Hate it? Either way, please post a review. It is most appreciated!**_


	4. Unusual Place for A Bridge

_Pre-Story Notes: My UK Friends probably would appreciate this greatly, but my inspiration for Iris is Elizabeth Hurley… who can do far more acting with her voice alone than probably any other actress on Earth. However, she has an excellent screen presence too. I hope you enjoy the games of cat and mouse between the computer and the Captain. After all there's nothing usual about the Dauntless._

Captain Jonas yawned as the alarm chimes in his quarters went off. He had slept for three hours and was quite refreshed. The lights were gradually illuminating to awaken him gently. He sat up and stretched as he looked at the chronograph knowing that in one hour he would go to the bridge and assume command of the ship… even though it was still deep within an underground bunker.

He swung his feet over the side of his bed and reached down slipping on one boot and then the other. He walked over to the mirror and picked up his shaver, waiving it over his face his beard hairs vaporized leaving baby bottom smooth skin behind. He felt Tikka rubbing against his leg and looked down at the calico kitty who only offered a squeak in protest of the empty food bowl. He picked it up and placed it in the replicator and pushed the recycle button… it vanished into thin air. He then ordered, "feline dinner mackerel please," and another bowl materialized with a strong fish smell of food arranged neatly in the center of it. The kitty seemed to go crazy meowing playfully as he sat the bowl back down on the floor. He stroked her back and she purred as she gulped down a bite of her dinner.

With that he straightened his uniform and made his way into the corridor where he tapped the panel on the wall, "Iris can you please give me directions to the bridge."

There was the familiar beep of acknowledgement that any Federation computer would give and Iris materialized beside him, this time wearing her hair up in a severe regulation bun, "Sir, it would be my honor to accompany you to the bridge."

"I would have been just as happy to receive directions like any normal computer would give," Jonas protested.

"Oh my dear Captain," she said in a very condescending British voice, "in case you haven't figured it out there's nothing normal about the Dauntless…" she paused for a moment as if she was deep in thought about something, "although I protest at the thought that it makes me abnormal… I don't even thing I like the word unusual… maybe peculiar, perhaps?"

"I see I have offended the great computer again," Captain Alexander mused as they got to what appeared to be a turbo lift. It opened to a mini-transporter room.

"I prefer to be called Iris," she said as she motioned for him to step in. "The Dauntless works more efficiently with site-to-site transporters, we found that slipstream flight could warp the turbo lift shafts causing accidents to happen… and we don't want accidents do we." They both stepped in and her eyes seemed to light up as the transporter engaged and Jonas found himself in a room that was labeled as the bridge on the transporter station. This time Iris appeared in the same silver jumpsuit she wore when he came aboard with her hair down loose along her shoulders, "since I don't have matter and am technically everywhere at any given time my avatars may appear different based on the areas you encounter me… for instance in engineering I wear an engineering uniform to match the crew… if I am assisting in medical I wear scrubs."

"And you manage to accessorize as well as my ex-wife," the Captain fired back.

Iris frowned, "if I look good the crew is more comfortable with me."

Jonas looked around the bridge and noticed it had no skylight windows above in the ceiling… it was elegant, the room was covered in exotic woods, the floor was gleaming granite and marble. Instead of a Captain's chair flanked by senior staff, as most every bridge in Starfleet was configured, he was shocked to find five chairs arranged in a circle facing the center of the room. He looked at Iris, "Tell me where the view screen is and which chair is mine?"

Iris chuckled, "there is no view screen" she stepped down and touched one of the chairs activating the holographic image projector in the center of the room. "The projector works on a point of view matrix… no matter which chair you choose the image will align to your point of view as if you were looking straight on to the view screen. Your senior staff occupy the other chairs and they will have the same perspective as you do. Actually anyone on the bridge who looks to the center will see everything head on in perspective… it's amazing technology isn't it?"

"Where is the bridge on the ship, most have portholes," Jonas mused.

Iris made an image of all the decks appear in the center of the room on the holo matrix, "the bridge is in the center of the ship in the second most armored area."

"Second most armored… what is the first?" Jonas mused for a moment and before he could speak, "let me guess the computer core."

"Correct," She said brightly and without apology, "without me this ship could not navigate. I am the most powerful computer ever designed by the federation… I must be capable of navigating the quantum slipstream drive… I would think you would want me to be well protected while in flight."

"Wow… you don't have to be so defensive," Captain Alexander chuckled.

With a pout she said, "I don't think you like me."

"I have a feeling you'll grow on me in time." He said as one of his first command staff members materialized onto the bridge.

"Lt. Commander Harth reporting for duty," the Catian said as she sniffed, "you didn't have to bring dinner." As she smelled traces of the mackerel on the captain?

"Dinner," he said as he turned to see the Catian standing behind him, "oh… I fed my…" he froze a the awkwardness of saying pet to her.

"It's ok," she said, "we keep domestic earth felines as pets… to us they are like living dolls."

He noticed her markings were much like a Siamese cat, she had the most intense ice blue eyes, "I've never served with a Catian before," he said sheepishly, "forgive me for staring."

"It's quite alright," Harth said as she walked over to him, "Let me fit you with your I.C.A.R.U.S. it will take a bit getting used to, but it will become as a second skin. I will schedule you some time on the training range to teach you all that it can do." She walked over to him and slipped the loose fingerless glove on his right hand. "Iris if you will do the honors and pair it to the Captain?"

"Pair it," Jonas asked as he read very little about the device that will work as a weapon, tricorder, communications device, and transporter enhancer. "I'm sorry, but I did not receive a lot of information on the ships systems or devices before I transported."

Harth smiled, "Iris is the Dauntless… and she's not like anything that can be explained in a mere manual. The ICARUS is a unique piece of technology, it can be removed only with great difficulty as it forms a second skin and maps to your DNA. This is why each crew member is paired to their ICARUS, you can shower with it, swim with it and do anything you normally would do through life's activities. After wearing it for a day it's almost like it becomes a part of you and you will pay it no more mind."

"So I've been told," the Captain said with a sly smile at the Iris hologram who only smiled back defiantly as she activated the ICARUS causing it to shrink to the exact fit of the captain's hand.

Harth nodded, "it has phaser capabilities as well as micro tractor beams… it can read your mind," she said as she stretched her arm out towards a pad that sat on a counter ten feet away. "For instance you can use the micro tractor beams to pick something up…" the pad floated gracefully through the air and landed softly in her hand. She passed it to the Captain, "everything you need to know is in here."

Harth then opened her hand up palm facing upwards as the hologram of the recently promoted Chief Jason Waters appeared as a hologram, "Chief, please schedule some range time with Captain Alexander… ICARUS training."

The image of Waters nodded as he touched the computer panel at his station, "Would tomorrow at 13:00 hours work fine."

"I'll be there," Jonas mused as he walked around the circular bridge… "This reminds me of the round table." He watched the hologram of Chief Waters nod in acknowledgement and disappear as she closed her palm.

"Round table," both Harth and Iris asked.

"An old Earth legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table… all sat down at a great table that was round making them all equal in the eyes of each other."

"We have a story about a leader name Freya who had a similar table," Harth added, "amazing each culture has such stories."

Iris paused as she accessed the entire writings of the King Arthur legends… "Oh, what a delightful book of stories."

Jonas chuckled, "yes… but here it seems like there's some truth to that design in this bridge." He looked at Harth, "who is my first officer?"

"You haven't picked one yet?" she asked almost in surprise.

He smiled brightly, "I just did… Iris… contact Admiral Janeway and let her know that Lt. Commander Harth is now the first officer of the Dauntless... for me to feel comfortable in this command I need someone who is familiar with all of her technology… and I need someone I know is going to watch my back."

Harth blinked in surprise… "Are you certain?"

"Call it intuition… yes I am certain," Jonas said. "We have three weeks to get this crate ready for its shakedown flight."

"Crate," Iris said in protest.

"No offense intended," Jonas said as he looked at Harth, "is she always this sensitive."

Harth chuckled with a hint of purr and said, "always… but at least you called Iris a 'she' and not an 'it' so you are making progress."

**_Please let me know if we should continue with this let me know if you Love it? Hate it? Either way, please post a review. It is most appreciated!_**


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